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Today I am testing out the Crosman 2240XL Special Edition here in the Sea Can indoor shooting range. It is getting a bit colder and raining outside, but the Sea Can is sitting at a comfortable 19 to 22 degrees Celsius, providing a great baseline environment for testing a fresh CO2 cartridge. If you haven't already, be sure to check out the dedicated Table Top Review for all the specifications and build details on this model. For this field test, our focus is entirely on performance: running it through the chronograph for real-world velocity and testing the downrange accuracy.

Chronograph & Velocity Performance For the velocity baseline, I used a brand new CO2 cartridge and loaded up some heavier .22 caliber Crosman Premier Hollow Points, which sit around the 14 to 15-grain mark. Crosman claims around 460 FPS on the box, but keep in mind that is typically achieved using the lightest possible ammunition.

Here is how the 5-shot string performed through the chronograph:

• Shot 1: 329 FPS

• Shot 2: 330 FPS

• Shot 3: 337 FPS

• Shot 4: 335 FPS

• Shot 5: 335 FPS

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The Crosman 2240XL Special Edition settled in nicely around a 333 FPS average. Because this is a bolt-action setup rather than a fast-firing semi-auto, the CO2 doesn't cool down too rapidly between shots, which helps keep the velocity remarkably consistent across the string.

Downrange Accuracy & Target Testing Moving over to the accuracy test, I set up a fresh paper target 30 feet downrange. For this setup, I decided to mount a bit of a monstrosity of a 4x optical magnification scope using the dovetail mounts, which I pulled right off another gun just for this test.

I took about 9 shots from a rested position on the table. The first two shots were close together, but the grouping eventually opened up to about 2 inches, including one major flyer that I definitely didn't feel like I pulled. Honestly, I wasn't super impressed with this particular grouping. The 2240 platform is famous for its accuracy, so this spread might be down to a few different factors: potential nicks on the pellets during loading, the cheap optical sight I attached, or just user error while trying to stabilize it.

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Handling Notes & Optics Fitment One of the absolute highlights of the Crosman 2240XL Special Edition is the trigger. It has a very nice, light, and short pull with essentially zero break required. However, shooting a pistol with a magnified scope from a rested position proved to be awkward. Trying to pull a pistol-length platform close to your face for proper eye relief (using a rifle scope rather than a pistol scope) can make everything feel quite shaky.

If you plan on running a larger optic like this, I highly recommend adding a shoulder stock to help stabilize the gun. Alternatively, swapping the massive scope out for a compact red dot or sticking to standard pistol sights would make this much more comfortable to shoot in its stock pistol form.

Final Thoughts The Crosman 2240XL remains an incredibly highly modifiable platform, fitting right in with the various pumper and .177 caliber variants available on the market. While my grouping today wasn't the tightest, the potential of this gun is massive once you dial in the right optics, ammo, and perhaps a stock for better stability.

Where to Buy

• 🇨🇦 Buy the Crosman 22040 XL .22 Caliber CO2 Pellet Pistol in Canada

• 🇺🇸 Buy Pellet Pistols in the US

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In this table top review, we are taking a close look at the Crosman 2240XL Special Edition, a .22 Caliber CO2 Pellet Pistol. While I haven't shot this exact model yet, I have shot the standard 2240 non-XL version, and they share a very similar firing mechanism. The biggest draw to the XL version is the factory-upgraded metal breech with an 11mm dovetail rail, and the threaded muzzle for added versatility.

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Key Specifications:

• Model: Crosman 2240XL Special Edition

• Type: Pellet Pistol

• Caliber: .22 caliber lead pellets

• Power Source: 12-gram CO2 (1 cartridge)

• Velocity: Up to 460 FPS

• Action: Single-Shot Bolt Action

• Safety: Cross-Bolt Safety

• Barrel: Rifled Steel Barrel, Threaded muzzle (1/2" x 20 threads)

• Stock/Grips: Plastic grips

• Construction: Mostly metal (steel breech, barrel, loading chamber) with plastic grips

• Weight: 1.8 lbs

• Overall Length: 12.5 inches

• Sights: None included

• Optics Rail: 11mm Dovetail Rail

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First Impressions & Build Quality:
The 2240XL brings a much-needed factory upgrade to the legendary 2240 platform: a full steel breech. This alone is a huge addition, making the gun stand out and providing a much higher quality feel. The gun is almost entirely metal, including the barrel, CO2 loading chamber, bolt, and breech. The grips are plastic, which is fairly standard, but one of the best things about the Crosman 2240 platform is how highly customizable it is. There are countless aftermarket parts available, and you can even easily swap out the grips fro wood grips or for a Crosman shoulder stock to turn it into a backpacker-style carbine.

Weighing in at 1.8 pounds and measuring 12.5 inches long, The Crosman 2240XL Special Edition has a solid feel in the hand. The threaded barrel comes with a thread protector and gives you options for adding mock suppressors or other attachments.

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How It Works:
This is a single-action, bolt-action pellet pistol. To operate it, you must first cock the bolt and manually load a .22 caliber pellet into the chamber. Once the bolt is pushed forward and locked down, the trigger is engaged and ready to fire. Powered by a single 12-gram CO2 cartridge housed in the lower tube, it is capable of firing up to 460 FPS depending on the weight of the pellets used. Because it's a single-shot bolt action, you'll need to manually load a pellet for every shot, but you won't need to pump it since the CO2 provides the power.

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Pros:

• Upgraded steel breech from the factory provides a robust build and premium look.

• Built-in 11mm dovetail rail makes adding a red dot or magnified optic easy.

• Threaded muzzle (1/2" x 20 threads) with an included thread protector for attachments.

• Solid CO2 power at up to 460 FPS.

• Highly customizable platform with endless aftermarket parts available.

• Excellent light single-action trigger with very little take-up.

• Mostly metal construction ensures long-lasting durability.

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Cons:

• Does not come with any open sights, an optic is required out of the box.

• Relies on CO2, meaning velocities will fluctuate as the gun cools down during rapid fire and potentially as CO2 volume lowers.

• Standard plastic grips are somewhat basic.

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Final Thoughts:
The Crosman 2240XL Special Edition takes an already proven pistol and adds the features most shooters end up buying aftermarket anyway. Having the steel breech and dovetail rail right out of the box makes mounting an optic straightforward, and the threaded muzzle is a fantastic touch, even if it’s just mainly for looks. If you're looking for a powerful .22 caliber airgun for small pest control that can be modified to your exact liking, the 2240XL is a superb starting point.

Stay tuned for the Field Test Shooting video coming up down the road.

Available at:

• 🇨🇦 Buy the Crosman 22040 XL .22 Caliber CO2 Pellet Pistol in Canada

• 🇺🇸 Buy Pellet Pistols in the US

We are halfway through September, and another unannounced delivery just showed up at the door. This box was surprisingly compact but incredibly dense, hinting at a hefty amount of possible ammunition inside. Cracking it open revealed a massive 4,000-count bottle of BBs and an updated classic from Crosman.

Gear Stock 4.5mm Copper-Coated Steel BBs

The sheer weight of this package came from a bulk 4,000-round bottle of Gear Stock 4.5mm steel BBs. These specific rounds feature a copper coating, which looks great but comes with a few historical caveats.

• Copper vs. Zinc: In my experience, copper-coated BBs can tarnish over time. Unlike zinc, which stays relatively clean, older copper coatings can oxidize and leave a dark, powdery residue on your hands and inside your airgun's barrel.

• Quality Check: If you burn through your ammo quickly, the tarnishing won't be an issue. We will have to see if modern manufacturing has improved the coating durability on this Gear Stock batch, but I typically lean toward zinc-coated BBs for long-term storage and cleaner shooting.

• Buy Gera Stock BB’s in Canada

• Buy Gear Stock BB’s in the US

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The Crosman 2240 XL .22 Caliber CO2 Pellet Pistol

The main event in this box is the Crosman 2240 XL. The 2240 platform has been a staple in the airgun community for decades, and the XL version finally addresses the most common pain points shooters had with the base model out of the box.

• Core Specs: The 2240 XL is a CO2-powered, bolt-action, single-shot pistol chambered in .22 caliber. It weighs in at 1.8 pounds, features a rifled steel barrel, and utilizes a standard 12-gram CO2 cartridge.

• The Metal Breech Upgrade: The standard 2240 and its multi-pump cousin, the 1322, utilize a plastic breech. Mounting an optic on those older models requires clamp-on barrel adapter rings, which can easily twist out of alignment. The 2240 XL ships with an upgraded all-metal breech featuring a milled 11mm dovetail rail, allowing for a rock-solid red dot or scope mount straight from the factory.

• Threaded Muzzle: The front of the barrel has a threaded muzzle cap. You can unscrew the tip to attach 1/2" UNF aftermarket compensators or moderators, adding another layer of customization.

• Buy the Crosman 22040 XL .22 Caliber CO2 Pellet Pistol in Canada

• Buy Pellet Pistols in the US

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Customization and Practical Application

Because the 2240 XL features a dovetail rail instead of iron sights, it is built specifically for optics. This plays perfectly into the massive aftermarket support for Crosman’s 22xx and 13xx platforms.

I own a heavily modified "backpacker" setup on one of my personal Crosman .22s, featuring a skeletonized rear shoulder stock and a magnified scope. At sub-500 FPS, a .22 caliber pellet is highly effective for close-range pest control. When dealing with nuisance animals like crows attacking songbirds, an ultra-high-velocity pellet will often pass straight through the target, wasting its kinetic energy. A heavier .22 pellet moving at moderate speeds dumps its full energy upon impact, providing a much more immediate and humane dispatch.

The full tabletop and field test shooting videos for the Crosman 2240 XL are coming up next. Make sure you are subscribed on Rumble, Vimeo, X, Threads, or TikTok to catch the full performance breakdown when it goes live.